Have you pushed formal outfits to the back of your closet and take them out only on special occasions? Do most of your clothes have cartoon characters on them? Well, at least say quirky prints? When you can’t figure out what to watch, is your go-to show The Office? Or even F.R.I.E.N.D.S? And do you belong to the age group of 22 to 38?
Well, it’s no surprise that most of you would have given all the questions a positive nod. The point being that all of you belong to the generation of millennials who just can’t get enough of nostalgia. It’s not just the millennials who are clinging to the memories from the ’90s, and early 2000s, the entertainment industry also caters to their whims, bringing back content that seem like blasts from the past.
Recently, there have been quite a few remakes of movies from the ’90s and early 2000s — Jumanji, The Jungle Book, Dumbo, The Lion King. There are a few coming up too, such as The Little Mermaid. Lynn Misquith, a 22-year-old pop-culture blogger, says, “Remakes and sequels help me go back in time to recreate memories. It’s just not about whether the movie is a hit or not, it’s about the emotions involved in rewinding all the memories. I take pleasure to revisit movies through remakes and sequels by brushing up my memory how each scene will play window to window, irrespective of it being a Hollywood or Bollywood film.”
She adds, “Movies like Don, Judwaa and Agneepath were passed on to us by the previous generation. I still recall the excitement my mom had while introducing me to Amitabh Bachchan as Don when I was in my early teens. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it with her.”
But though these films are remakes, they cater to a generation that is accustomed to a whole new world with the revolution brought by the internet, social media and smart-everything.
“The Jungle Book remains very close to my heart. It was passed on to me by folks. From reading out the story, to watching the animated series, to teaching me how to colour and paint the characters and read about them and now watching a motion movie on screen, every experience remains fresh and surreal,” says Misquith.
Millennials like to party to old beats too. City-based DJ Rohen Anttony who goes by the moniker MicRaja, shares how at every performance he receives about four-five requests for songs that were a rage about 10-25 years ago. “Even with all the new songs being released every day, when people are partying, they reach a certain mood when they want the DJ to play tracks from their teenage or childhood years. Songs like O O Jaane Jaana, Chhaiya Chhaiya, Saat Samundar Paar, Chura Ke Dil Mera are such evergreen tracks that are always requested,” he says, adding, “Every one is attached to those songs that remind them of a simpler time when they were young, some memory that makes them happy.”
“English numbers are Hips Don’t Lie, Smack That, Gasolina, Turn me on — whether you’re a dancer or not, you’re bound to get dragged on to the floor by your friends for these tracks, and you won’t even resist. From the console, I see everyone gathering together and dancing like one tribe, everyone is of the same generation and has a special place in their hearts for these songs,” says the 30-year-old DJ.
Coming to clothes, prints of beloved characters from Cartoon Network channel from the late ’90s and early 2000s such as Johnny Bravo, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Phineas and Ferb, The Powerpuff Girls and so on are a rage. You find millennials wearing these quirky prints to work, to parties, or to lounge around.
With the recently released animated comeback of The Addams Family and the upcoming Scoob!, which features a young Scooby Doo with his team of ‘meddling kids’ who solve mysteries, these prints are selling like hotcakes.
Millennials have perhaps been the only generation to witness such a rapid change in technology that has completely changed the way the world works. They have seen things that were once vital for the functioning of society and human life, being pushed into oblivion. It is the generation that went from using cassettes, CDs, pendrives, SD cards to now streaming everything online. For a generation for whom change has truly been the only constant, it is vital to hold on to something that makes them feel rooted.
Sandhya Naidu, 25-year-old fashion blogger, says, “Millennials choose to dress this way, remembering elements from their past, so that they feel connected to their roots. We still want to dress up and be reminded of our childhood because it makes us feel more lively and full of fun. It brings out our personality.”
She has quite a few outfits that are inspired from her favourite childhood cartoons, but her favourite is a Disney princess gown.
